Fresh air heat exchanger with air treatment system

ABSTRACT

The fresh air heat exchangers function to supply ventilation, heating and air purification. The device does this whether the building is occupied or empty. The outside air is drawn in, filtered, then passed through the heat exchanger where room air is passed adjacent to it and its heat is extracted and transferred to the incoming fresh air. The room air is subsequently exhausted outside. The preheated fresh outside air continues on to a hot water coil where it is additionally heated and then passed over a UV cell for purification. The purified heated air is introduced to the room. In the building unoccupied phase, room air is cycled back into the room without bringing fresh air in.

This application claims priority from U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 12/804,331 filed Jul. 20, 2010.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heat exchangers per se are not new to the art. The function of the fresh air heat exchanger of the instant invention is to provide ventilation, heating and treatment or purification of the air from a building. This is accomplished through several sequential phases within one complete unit. The uniqueness of the fresh air heat exchanger is that it automatically switches operating modes while the building is occupied or unoccupied. The fresh air heat exchanger of this invention is controlled by the existing temperature control system in the building. It can be self controlled or a combination of both. Standard fresh air heat exchangers will only cycle when the building is unoccupied. This unit removes stale air, uses the heat from the stale air to warm incoming cool fresh air, then the stale air is exhausted while the preheated fresh air is heated by a hot water coil and optionally purified by a UV cell then released into the room. U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,334 issued to Grinbergs on May 27, 1997 is incorporated herein by reference for what it teaches concerning heat recovery ventilators or heat exchangers.

THE INVENTION

The instant invention is a mode switching fresh air heat exchanger that has simultaneous movement of the hot air and cold air within the system. The device consists of a housing having a front, a back, a top, a bottom, a near end, and a distal end.

There is an opening located in the interior back of the housing that is a fresh air exterior opening louver panel. There is also a first duct to carry the fresh air from the louver panel to a first heat recovery ventilator.

The device contains an open grill located in the interior front, near the bottom that is a stale air open grill and located interiorly to the housing and adjacent to and aligned with the grill is a filter for the stale air. There is a second duct to carry the filtered air to a second heat recovery ventilator connected in air carrying tandem to the first heat recovery ventilator and a third duct to carry the heat transferred air to the outside through the louver panel. There is a fourth duct to carry the fresh air to a heating zone and through an air vent into a room. This air vent is located in the top of the housing. The air is conveyed through the heating zone by a variable speed electrical fan.

The fresh air and stale air are simultaneously moved by electrical blowers and electrical components for electrifying the blowers and fans.

The advantages of the devices of the instant invention include, but are not limited to, exhausting at the ground floor level, intake above the ground, eliminating the pick up of debris and the like by the device, eliminates ductwork in the ceiling of the buildings in which they are used, eliminates a majority of dampers and damper controls, use of an air cleaner system in the flowing air to clean up bacteria and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a full side view in perspective of the fresh air heat exchanger with a portion of the housing removed to show the interior.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a fresh air heat exchanger of this invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a fresh air heat exchanger of this invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the outside air intake, heat exchanger, room air duct and the electrical control system of this invention.

FIG. 5A is a rear view of the fresh air heat exchanger of this invention showing the external or outside air intake.

FIG. 5B is a view in perspective of a rear panel of this invention.

FIG. 6 is an air flow schematic within the fresh air heat exchanger.

FIG. 7 is an end view of a portion of the fresh air heat exchanger.

FIG. 8 is an air flow diagram of a device of this invention.

FIG. 9 A is a portion of a side view of the invention showing a damper assembly.

FIG. 9B is a portion of a side view of the invention showing an exhaust damper assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a full view in perspective of the fresh air heat exchanger 2. Here the fresh air heat exchanger 2 is fully assembled. Shown in this Figure is the intake grill 60 which attaches to the intake elbow 44 that supplies the unit 2 with fresh air. Also shown is the air vent 52 that supplies return air to the room. The air intake 82 for room air is through the base front 14 which is filtered then introduced into the fresh air heat exchanger 2. The hot water coil 34 sits on top of the heat exchanger 72 housing 18. The fresh air heat exchanger 2 is electrically powered by a blower 30 which is controlled by the junction box 38 and switch fuse 40 through conduit 42 and electrical box 36.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the fresh air heat exchanger 2. This embodiment also includes the UV cell 62. The UV cell utilizes oxidation technology that is a high intensity broad spectrum UV tube (100-300 nm) in a hydrated catalytic matrix cell. Low level ozone is produced in the cell, the majority of which is converted into airborne hydro peroxides, super oxide ions, ozonide ions and hydroxides. The bulb in incased in a poly tube to prevent any glass or mercury leakage. The air passes by the UV cell 62 for purification after it is heated by the hot water coil 34.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the fresh air heat exchanger 2. This Figure shows the components of the fresh air heat exchanger 2. The fresh air heat exchanger 2 has a top panel 6, two end panels 8, a bottom panel 10 and an inner wall 12. The unit 2 sits on a base that is comprised of a base front 14 and a base rear 16. The base front 14 has louvers 82 in it that act as an air intake 82 from a room. This air that is drawn from the room is filtered by filter 50 before it is passed to the heat exchangers 72 in the housing 18. The filter is supported by filter braces 48 that are attached to the bottom panel 10. The support channels 20 sit atop the bottom panel 10 and support the housing 18. The coil supply duct 22 supplies air to the coil 34 for further heating.

When the air is drawn in from the bottom 10, it flows into room air duct 24 into the heat exchangers 72 in the housing 18 where it is passed by the incoming fresh air to preheat the fresh air, then the room air is exhausted through exhaust port 78. The room air duct 24 is connected to the housing 18 via a collar 28 and a draw band 26. The circulation of the air into and throughout the fresh air heat exchanger 2 is provided by the blower 30. The blower 30 in unoccupied mode pulls air from the base front 14, through the filter 50, through the room air duct 24 into the heat exchangers 72 in the housing 18 and then exhausted.

The fresh air is drawn in and passes by the room air preheating the fresh air. From that point the air is forced through the coil supply duct 22, through the UV cell 62, through the hot water coil 34 and then the air that is now heated and cleansed arrives at the room. The room air is passed by a heat exchanger 72 which captures heat and then transfers that heat to the fresh incoming outside air.

FIG. 4 is an internal view of the outside air intake 68, heat exchanger 72, room air duct 24 and the electrical control system 70. It is clear from this Figure that the outside air intake comprises the air chamber 64, the intake elbow 44, the back brace and a louvered panel 54 (not shown) to draw air from the outside. The heat exchanger 72 is comprised of the front base 14 and rear base 16 incorporating a filter 50 and supporting the housing 18. The housing 18 supports the blower 30 (not shown) and the hot water coil 34. Also shown is the coil supply duct 22. Mounted within the top 6 is the air vent 52 which returns the heated and cleansed air back into the room.

FIG. 5 is a back view of the fresh air heat exchanger 2 showing the external or outside air intake 68. The exterior louvered panel 54 is supported by a backer panel 74 and separated by dividers 76. The intake elbow 44 is attached to the backer panel 74 to draw air through the louvered panel 54 and into the elbow 44 then on into the intake air chamber 64 to be passed into the heat exchangers 72 in the housing 18 to be passed by the room air for preheating. The backer panel 74 also has another opening 78 that aligns with the exhaust system 80. The fresh air heat exchanger 2 will exhaust room air through the exhaust system 80 and out the exhaust port 78. The housing 18 has a filter 50 for incoming fresh air and also a filter for the preheated air.

FIG. 6 is an air flow schematic within the fresh air heat exchanger 2. The room air is drawn into the front base 14, through filter 50 then into the life breath 18. The outside air in drawn in through the exterior louver 54, into the intake elbow 44, into the intake air chamber 64, and on into the housing 18. The fresh outside air is heated by the heat exchanger 72. The air is then drawn into the blower 30 and on into the coil supply duct 22, then into the hot water coil 34 where it is heated. The air proceeds into over the UV cell 62 where it is purified and then on through the air vent 52 and back into the room heated and cleansed. The stale room air is removed through the exhaust port 78 of the exhaust system 80.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the fresh air heat exchanger 2. This Figure shows the air intake 68, air chamber 64, hot water coil 34 and the UV cell 68. The key here is the relationship between the hot water coil 34 and the UV cell 68 to show the air is heated the purified before it is releases back into the room.

FIG. 8 is an air flow diagram of a device of this invention. The solid line indicates the outside air coming into the system 2 first passing through the heat exchangers 72, proceeding to the coil supply duct 22 through the UV cell 62 then on to the hot water coil 34 and then the air is returned into the room. This is the fresh air cycle.

The solid line with dashes indicates the circulation cycle where room air is filtered at filter 50, then on to the blower 30 where it is moved to the coil supply duct 22. The air is then heated in the hot water coil 34, passed through the UV cell 62 and returned to the room heated and purified. This is the unoccupied cycle.

The other cycle that is indicated by the solid line with asterisk is the exhaust. This cycle is simultaneous to the first cycle in that the room air, before it is exhausted, is passed through the heat exchangers 72 to warm the fresh incoming outside air. Then the room air is exhausted.

In the building occupied mode there are three phases of operation and one phase for the unoccupied building mode. In the first phase the outside air passes through the exterior louver panel 54 and enters the fresh air heat exchanger 2 through an elbow 44. The fresh air is then drawn into a heat recovery ventilator. Simultaneously, stale warm air from inside the building is pulled into the bottom front 14 of the fresh air heat exchanger 2 through a grill 82 where it is first filtered for particles. The filtered air enters the room's air duct 24 within the fresh air heat exchanger 2 and then passes through the heat recovery ventilator 4 where it is discharged outside through the exterior louver panel 54. Stale warm air is constantly being replaced by an equal quantity of outside fresh air. The heat recovery ventilator 4 can meet fresh air requirements of the building and is capable of at least 250 cubic feet per minute.

As the two air streams pass through the heat recovery ventilator 4, they do not mix. They pass through air filters 50 on either side of an aluminum heat exchange core in housing 18 which transfers heat from the outgoing air to the incoming air. This allows the heat from the building to be saved and from being lost to the outside.

Condensate drains are located at the bottom of the heat recovery ventilator 4 below the aluminum heat exchange core. The drains then pass through the fresh air heat exchanger 2 where a sump pump is located. The pump then discharges to the buildings existing drain system.

The second phase begins once the air has been warmed during phase one by the heat recovery ventilator 4 and a supplemental heating of the air is accomplished by a hot water coil 34 located within the fresh air heat exchanger 2 above the heat recovery ventilator 4. The hot water coil 32 is connected to the building's hot water system and can meet up to 30,000 BTU off heat loss from the room. A variable speed controlled fan or blower 30 continuously pulls the conditioned heat recovery ventilator 4 air across the hot water coil 34 and into the room.

The third phase begins prior to the heated air entering the room from the heat recovery ventilator 4 after phase two, it passes across a cell 62 located downstream of the hot water coil 34. The cell 62 utilizes oxidation technology that consists of a high intensity broad spectrum UV tube (100-300 nm) in a hydrated catalytic matrix cell. Low level ozone is produced in the cell, the majority of which is converted into airborne hydro peroxides, super oxide ions, ozonide ions and hydroxides. The UV bulb is encased in a poly tube to prevent any glass or mercury leakage. Also, the entire assembly is encased in a protective metal cell. This cell eliminates sick building syndrome risks by reducing odors, air pollutants, chemical odors, smoke, mold bacteria, and viruses.

The fresh air heat exchanger 2 also has an unoccupied building phase where the heat recovery ventilator is bypassed. The room air enters the fresh air heat exchanger 2 through the bottom passing through a grill 82 where it is filtered, heated by the hot water coil and recirculated back into the room by the variable speed fan. Another unique feature of the device 2 is the intake and exhaust is well above ground level. Prior art units have their exhaust and intake at ground level making them receptacles for lawn debris and snow causing all kinds of internal problems with the units.

FIG. 9A is a side view of the invention showing the damper assembly. The air comes in through vent 14 when damper 90 is in the open position then into the filter 50. When the damper is in the other position the room air cannot come in and the outside air comes in instead. The damper 90 is controlled by a servo motor 88.

FIG. 9B is a side view of the invention showing the damper assembly for the exhaust. The damper 90 here is also controlled by a servo motor 88 and operates in the open position to exhaust air and is closed when not exhausting air from the system. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A mode switching fresh air heat exchanger having simultaneous movement of the hot air and cold air comprising: a housing, said housing having a front, a back, a top, a bottom, a near end, and a distal end; located in the interior back of the housing, a fresh air exterior opening louver panel; a first duct to carry the fresh air from the louver panel to a first heat recovery ventilator; located in the interior front, near the bottom, a stale air open grill; located interiorly to the housing and adjacent to and aligned with the grill, a filter for the stale air; a second duct to carry the filtered air to a second heat recovery ventilator connected in air carrying tandem to the first heat recovery ventilator; a third duct to carry the heat recovered air to the outside through the louver panel; a fourth duct to carry the fresh air to a heating zone and through an air vent into a room, said air vent located in the top of the housing, said air being conveyed through the heating zone by a variable speed electrical fan; said fresh air and stale air being simultaneously moved by electrical blowers, and electrical components for electrifying the blowers and fans.
 2. The fresh air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 wherein in addition, there is a cell for treating the air to substantially remove odors, pollutants, volatile organic compounds, smoke, mold, bacteria, and viruses, if present in the air.
 3. The fresh air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in addition, there is an air conditioning unit added to cool the air. 